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Pathogen Page

Hantavirus

I. General Information

1. NCBI Taxonomy ID:

2. Disease:

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

3. Introduction

Hantaviruses are rodent-borne agents that cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in humans (de et al., 2002). Annually, around 150,000 cases of HFRS are reported worldwide, caused by Hantaan (HTNV) and Seoul (SEOV) hantaviruses in Asia and by Puumala (PUUV), Dobrava (DOBV), and Saaremaa (SAAV) hantaviruses in Europe (Klingstrom et al., 2004). Hantavirus was first identified in the United States in 1993. HPS is a deadly disease from rodents. Although rare, Although rare, the consequences of getting it are serious. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle aches. There may also be headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The major HPS symptoms may not appear until the illness becomes life-threatening. Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infection (CDC Hantaviruses). Hantaviruses can also cause human hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) (Lednicky, 2003).

Increased numbers of rodents in the household is the strongest risk factor for infection. Among documented U.S. cases of HPS, patients with potential occupational exposures have included grain farmers, an extension livestock specialist, field biologists, and agricultural, mill, construction, utility and feedlot workers (CDC Hantaviruses).

Hantaviruses contain a three-segmented ssRNA-genome of negative polarity encoding four proteins: the nucleocapsid protein (N), the envelope proteins (G1 and G2), and the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (Klingstrom et al., 2004).

4. Microbial Pathogenesis

Rodents (primarily deer mice) carry hantaviruses that cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in human. Rodents shed the virus in their urine, droppings, and saliva. The virus is mainly transmitted to people when they breathe in air contaminated with the virus. Functional impairment of vascular endothelium is central to the pathogenesis of HPS, and a myocardial depressant may contribute significantly to the mortality of this disease. Hantaviruses can infect endothelial cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. The mechanism of inflammatory cell recruitment in the lungs of HPS patients may result from specific attraction and adherence of a selective population of inflammatory cells to an activated pulmonary microvascular endothelium (CDC Hantaviruses).

5. Host Ranges and Animal Models

n the US, primarily deer mice, along with cotton rats and rice rats in the southeastern states and the white-footed mouse in the Northeast, carry hantaviruses that cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (CDC Hantaviruses).

6. Host Protective Immunity

Klingström et al. reported that the strong Th2-type of immune response induced by Alum against rDOBV N did not induce protection in mice (Klingstrom et al., 2004).

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